𝔻𝔸𝕃𝕀𝔸ℍ

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛

The next time I woke up was to a bright room. I tried to remember how I ended up on the bed and everything came rushing back in my head, I sat up and reached to tug out the needle in my hand when I felt another hand on mine. I looked up and saw Hashim, he smiled at me and sat beside me on the bed.

"Hey, are you okay?". He carefully pried my hand away from pulling the needle out.

"I.. I just want to go home". He nodded.

"It's okay". He rubbed a hand on my arm.

He made lay back down and that was when I even noticed everyone was there in the room. Halima smiled at me encouragingly and Hashim left, probably to talk to the doctor.

"Daliah, how are you feeling now?". Baba asked coming to stand beside the bed.

"I'm fine". He smiled at me and minutes later, Hashim was back with a nurse. She checked me, then said we could go.

Hashim helped me up and we left the room together. I stopped though when I saw the two ladies from earlier standing together. I didn't know whether to be angry at them and just walk away or feel sorry for them, for having such person in their life.

"Salamualaikum". The mother greeted.

"Wa'alaikum salam". We chorused.

"If you don't mind, I just want to speak with you for a few minutes". I stared at the older woman who looked like she had cried a lot.

"Can we meet another time? I don't think I can do this right now". I said quietly.

"Okay, it's nothing I understand. Get well soon". I nodded and Hashim gave her his card and we left.

The car ride was quiet and when we finally got home, Hashim helped me to my room urging me to rest then he left. No one came in again and I was grateful, I really wanted to be alone. I sat outside on the couch in the balcony.

I wish we had never met again, I should have died not knowing the truth, it would have been better. Now, I'll live the rest of my life resenting the greedy man I used to call my father.

I felt sorry for my mother, that had to die because of his greediness, I sent a prayer for her. I sat there for the longest time and then I heard a knock on my door then it was pushed open. The person walked over to the balcony and as the wind blew, it sent a whiff of Hashim's cologne to my nose.

He came and sat beside me on the couch and I noticed the tray he held. He was quiet for a long time.

"How are you feeling?". He asked.

"I don't know. My heart feels empty".

"What? I'm supposed to be in there". He said lightly and I smiled a little.

He dropped the tray on the coffee table and I leaned into him, he wrapped his arms around me and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"We used to be a very happy and cute family, just three of us". I started.

"I'm not sure if I really noticed before or it's just now but he did start distancing himself from us, forgetting important dates, plans, outings, things like that. But, I thought it was work, my mom said it was work and I believed her". I sniffed, he held my hand and I looked at our interwined fingers with a small smile.

"One night, we were at home, then these people came with guns and I was scared to hell... They shot him, i saw it. Then, they took me and mama away. Our life there, mama...". I reached up wiped at the tears drenching my face.

"She lived to keep me safe, everything she did. We used to cry ourselves to sleep every night. One day, when she came back to me, bloodied, and we cried ourselves to sleep, she never woke up again. They.. they didn't even bury her properly".

"You don't have to, daliah". Hashim said softly.

"I want to".

"The boss, he let me go to school, I didn't even know why I was there yet, until I reached sixteen. I had never felt so dirty and disgusted in my life. He didn't let me go out like the other girls, he said I was special and he made me his play thing, his toy". I was quiet for a while.

"I tried many times to join my mother but I was not able to. After some time, one day he came at me as usual I put up a fight and he beat me. I didn't know I was carrying another life inside until it died...". Hashim's thumb that was rubbing circles on the back of my hand stopped.

"I... I didn't whether to be happy or not. I would have been happy I didn't have to be a mother at sixteen, but also sad that I lost my first child at sixteen. I decided to move on, it was for the best, I told myself. Until, I got pregnant again, but this time I had the child, when I found out, it was too late to abort. I thought he was my hope, he had my eyes, my mother's eyes, i was happy to have him. But, he couldn't get everything he needed, even I didn't get everything I needed".

"A week later, he was wailing in the night, I had no idea what to do to make him better, then the boss came, he blamed me for bringing him to the world. He wanted to take him away but I pleaded with him and took the beatings, but he still took him, he said he'll shut him up and bring him to me. After he left, I could still hear his wails, then I heard a gunshot... And the wails stopped".

"Daliah...".

"He did bring him back to me, his dead body. He had thrown him on my laps and I held him to myself, my baby of barely a week. I had held his dead body, running mad believing he was for another week until he was taken from me again. I never saw him again". I wasn't sure if he was hearing me anymore, I couldn't even hear myself, I could hear my voice in my head but not in my ears.

"I decided to meet the boss and I told him that I had repaid whatever debt he claimed my father owed, my mother died paying that debt, my son did and I knew I was too. He beat me and said he owned my life but I had rather taken my own life than be at the mercy of his, so I ran away and I was about to leave then Baba came". I smiled sadly remembering that night.

"I had told him to leave me be, but he forced me to go with him, sometimes I wish he had never come but other days I thank god for sending him to me. I didn't think I could live again, I didn't know what I was living for, until Baba taught me why I was created in the first place and I found a new reason, to worship Allah and see a smile on Baba's face". I turned to look at Hashim, he had tears in his eyes, he had probably wiped them away but they were still there.

"Then he gave me to you. I felt like he was ruining your life, you were happy, living your life and he just decided to give a broken me to you. I knew I would only cause problems for you, I couldn't make you happy, you already were but somehow you did, you made me happy". I touched his face.

"Seeing your smile makes me happy". He told me, wiping my tears away.

"I'm glad to be used by you and I am happy with you daliah". He kissed my head.

I rested my head back on his chest and stared out at the sky.

"I love you".

///////////////

There it is. We now know daliah's sad story.

And... Who said I love you?!

Anyway, find out in the coming chapters, please vote and comment.

See ya!